Linux - NewbieThis Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question?
If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!

Notices

Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.

You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!

Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.

Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.

Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

Is it possible to have NDisWrapper install and load my driver properly, but my Broadcom Wireless still not work. I took the driver off the HP website. I followed the instructions. The ndiswrapper -l shows the driver as being present and functioning but KDE still doesn't see any networks. I'm guessing the driver, while installed isn't fuctioning properly. Should I try a different version of NDis or a different version of the driver. OR is my system just not set up correctly and the driver is fine?

Also can I use NDisWrapper to install other Win drivers like the sound card?

What are you using to look for wireless networks in KDE? Have you tried using Network Manager for KDE? I'm not sure what the Slack-pack would be called, but for Debian, the package name is "network-manager-kde".

Yes I am using the Network Manager in KDE. It says "Out of Range" but it doesn't matter if you are sitting next to the router, it doesn't see it. Also I noticed it doesn't change channels when scanning. It stays on 7. I know my router connects at 6 and 11. But thats a different story. LOL

I have now installed BCMWL5 and 5a. My network card still doesn't work. My questions are

1) Will it cause problems to have both installed at one time (ndiswrapper -l shows both) If it does, how can I take one back out.

2) Provided neither work, is there another known broadcom driver that has been known to work in place of BCMWL5 ?

3) Is there a command such as ping to REALLY tell if the card is working instead of just KDE packages. I guess it's possible the KDE packages aren't installed correctly.

Oh just in case I forgot. I'm running Slackware 12 with KDE 3.5, on a HPze5730 laptop. It's running as a dual boot with LILO 22.X. I have ran Linux Mint on the same machine and its Restricted driver software ran the card no problem. So I know Linux will run it, I just don't have it set up correctly.

Well Ive install and then unstalled ndiswrapper.ko because it didn't work. Then I tried modprobe loading bcm43xx.ko but it wouldn't even load, so I opt to fwcutter the firmware out of bcmwl5a and it worked. Sorta. It gets a signal in KWifi manager and I can access my router (linksys 54XXX) I can even access my modem (Action tek) but I cant' get out over the net. The router shows an IP for me and my KWifi Manager shows the same IP address. Still no access from Firefox or Konquer.

Oh and two points of interest. One is it's slow accessing pages. The signal shows to be around 22mps. The pages themselves move fair, just getting them to start is the issue. Also, with iwconfig, I don't see a wlan0. I see lo (no wireless) and eth0 (no wireless) and eth1 (broadcomm I believe.)

When I was originally trying to get my [integrated] wireless card on my laptop to work, I was able to get it running flawlessly with the nm-appelet and network-manager-gnome working in Gnome, but KDE never worked...for whatever reason.

First off, I had to include the whole folder that I downloaded from HP. I extracted the file into a folder on my desktop and renamed it "driver".
Then put that folder in the root directory.
Unloaded the native Broadcom driver by opening a terminal window:
rmmod bcm43xx
Keep it from loading again:
Using an editor as SU (medit, gedit, kwrite, etc.):
edit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist
At the bottom of the lists, add:
blacklist bcm43xx
Terminal:
lsmod
hit return. To see if ndiswrapper is one of the modules loaded.
If not, then ndiswrapper is not loaded at boot time.
If ndiswrapper is not loaded at boot time.
Edit /etc/modules
At the bottom, add:
ndiswrapper
Save the file. Reboot and check again.
If loaded:
Terminal(remember,I have "driver" folder in root):
ndiswrapper -i /driver/bcmwl5.inf
hit return.
type:
ndiswrapper -l
hit return.
To see if the driver was installed, and to see if the hardware was found.
The message should look something like:
bcmwl5 : driver installed
device (14E4:4318) present (alternate driver: bcm43xx)
Using an editor as SU (medit, gedit, kwrite, etc.):
Check if /etc/modprobe.conf exists...if NOT:
Write the modprobe configuration:
ndiswrapper -m
Edit /etc/modprobe.conf (or where -m wrote alias
sometimes to.../etc/modprobe.d/ndiswrapper?)
At the bottom, add (change eth0 to wlan0, eth1, etc.):
alias wlan0 ndiswrapper
Save the file. Reboot.
Check to see if ndiswrapper is working:
In the terminal window, type:
depmod -a
hit return & wait a few seconds.
type:
modprobe ndiswrapper
hit return.
If everything is working right, you should see your connection light
(assuming you have one) lit up.
type:
iwconfig
hit return
If everything is working right, you should see:
eth0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID: off/any
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
Bit Rate:54 Mb/s Tx-Power:32 dBm
RTS thr:2347 B Fragment thr:2346 B
Encryption key: off
Power Management: off
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0
type:
iwconfig
hit return
If everything is working right, you should see a list of wireless networks
named after ESSID:
Install network-manager kde (KNetworkManager)
After starting KNetworkManager from Menu> Internet:
Configure wireless network by right click of icon on panel:
Connect to other Wireless Network
Enter the ESSID
If using Encryption, most WEP is WEP 40/104-bit hex, and Open System.
After connecting, close the KNetworkManager, and it will ask if you want it
to start when logging in.
(Right click) KnetworkManager> Options> Configure> (click) Store Keys in
Configfile.

I followed the instructions and it worked sorta. There were a few areas that didn't go as written but I got the driver installed. The upside is my signal is at 54 and my router/network is seen. The down side currently, I can't get an IP. dhcpcd doesn't obtain one and I don't have KNetwork Manager yet. I'm hoping once I DL it, I'll be up and running. Thanks again for the long instruction. It was pretty cool of you to take the time.